Kolkata’s Puja rush will get expanded late-night rail connectivity this year, with the Howrah Division planning seven special suburban train services from October 17 to 21 and additional trains on major routes to manage an expected seven to eight lakh passengers at Howrah Station.
The late-night EMU services will operate on the Burdwan–Howrah, Howrah–Chandanpur, Bandel–Howrah, Tarakeswar–Sheoraphuli and Bandel–Naihati routes. The railway has also planned a new connection between the Howrah and Sealdah suburban systems through Dankuni and Naihati, allowing visitors to travel between pandal areas after regular services have reduced.
According to Howrah Divisional Railway Manager Vishal Kapoor, a special train will leave Sealdah at 11 pm for Dankuni and return at 11.52 pm. Another service will run from Bandel to Naihati at 12.45 am and return at 1.15 am. The railway said the arrangement would support late-night movement between the two railway systems and provide greater flexibility for visitors travelling across Kolkata and adjoining areas during the festival.
The measures extend beyond suburban connectivity. The Howrah Division has scheduled seven pairs of Trains on Demand Puja Special services, accounting for 174 trips, from Howrah to destinations including New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri, New Delhi, Patna, Katihar, Lumding and Raxaul.
The division has also planned seven special EMU services involving 70 trips, 25 pairs of Puja Special trains passing through the division involving 402 trips, and five pairs of Mail and Express trains with additional coaches involving 56 trips. These services are intended to add capacity during a period when large numbers of passengers travel for pandal visits, family gatherings and intercity journeys.
Two reserved standby rakes and four unreserved standby rakes will remain available for deployment if passenger demand rises sharply. According to Kapoor, the standby arrangement includes high-capacity unreserved rakes to help clear sudden passenger surges.
The planned services place the railway network at the centre of Kolkata’s festival mobility arrangements, particularly for passengers moving between suburban rail corridors and major Puja destinations. The Howrah Division is scheduled to operate the special services from October 17 through October 21, with standby trains available during periods of exceptional demand.
